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CAvey

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Everything posted by CAvey

  1. <p><p>Hi T, sorry not seen your message until now! Yes its been a year and ive found it harder to settle in first 12 months than i did in oz. I got another job just after you sent your previous msg in January and we also bought a house which we have now been in a month now so things falling into place. I have a plan to return to oz after kids have finished school in 7 years at the most hopefully sooner we'll see x</p></p>

  2. I know exactly what you mean apart from the work aspect. I too have mainly been an observer since returning 10 months ago but do tend to have a moan now and again, I have very few reasons to stay in UK at present. I think you've been brave with some of your comments as OP said and await the wrath :smile:
  3. <p><p>Hi T, thanks for the message thats really nice <img src="<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png" alt=":)" srcset="<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Funny I feel pretty upbeat at the moment even though I got made redundant completly out of the blue on Wednesday, it made me realise I'm up for the challenge and maybe it's a sign hey! You take care and I hope you have a great Christmas x</p></p>

  4. Hi Emma, I would use a broker rather than a bank as others have stated, their rates are better in my experience. I have previously used Moneycorp however more recently UkForex rates have been better. It doesn't matter which account you have in uk, I currently have Westpac in Aus and transfer to Barclays, its really easy to do.
  5. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    Thanks Oz, some good advice there and I can empathise with so much that you have mentioned. We did consider relocating to Melbourne very late in the day but at the time I thought it was too much of a risk.
  6. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    hey sunni, How long did he give it? Has he gone over to get things sorted for your arrival?
  7. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    I know exactly how you feel, I feel like it most days. I think you have had to experience it to understand it.
  8. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    Hi T, Thanks for sticking with me I know you've been in touch since I made the move back. I agree there has been some good advice here which has given me some food for thought. I think getting our own place would settle us down but which ever way it turns out I'm sure we'll be fine we don't really get overwhelmed by anything these days :biggrin: I like the idea of a plan, as my wife always says I'm not really spontaneous!
  9. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    Yes you're probably right I'd just like to overcome this one way or another, I never felt this way when I moved out there in the early stages, Looking back I think seeds were probably planted by other poms out there and it developed from there. I started thinking of things I miss in UK and how certain things were done better in the UK. Now that I have moved back I've realised I have changed and the way some things are done here have changed too, it wasn't Aus at fault. I do crave for the adventure again but I won't go into detail about the other things here, nothing too deep really.
  10. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    Hi Rupert, Lucky you, at the end of the day I see it as my own doing really so shouldn't complain but it doesn't make it any easier. I do feel it would be a bit too much to expect the family to agree to my wants as they maybe wondering what if he doesnt settle this time... Should've tuffened up at the time :biggrin:
  11. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    Hi Petals, We lived semi rural south of Brisbane. I can relate to your story but when we got back I wasn't expecting a fanfair of any sort and our old friends are pretty much the same as before we left its as if we never went , so we are really fortunate in that respect. We didn't have any real expectations when returning so we haven't experienced any let downs. one thing has continued to stick in my mind since returning, when my brother in law picked us up and said that my wifes dream was over now we were back. i agree with your comments about the kids getting older and thats my main concern. As an ex-colleague mentioned before I left, 'I may be more Australian than I realise and may miss the place'
  12. CAvey

    Back over 9 months

    I understand your comments but its hardly a whim, its an unsettling situation. Sure we went to Oz as it was my wifes dream but one I certainly agreed to, then we moved back as I stated earlier. Things aren't always plain sailing....
  13. There have been so many times I have got to the point of posting this thread but have always stopped short but having read Op recent threads I have decided to write my own rather than hijack theirs. Please bare with me as this will be quite a long post. Our background is that we upped sticks and moved to Oz nearly 6 years ago now. Living in Oz was an adventure, we started again from scratch there and the first 2 years or so were hard work but in time we became comfortable. We made the most of getting out and seeing the place whenever we could. My wife loved every mnute, she makes the best of everything whereas I started to complain about certain trivial aspects of living there. I found it tough having little support and the longer I spent there the more the isolation / homesickness got to me. We came back for a visit one year over Christmas and this cemented the thought that the UK was the place I was meant to be. I was finding it difficult to cope and thought it would be best for everyone for us to return though I had real doubts, what if I feel no different?? Anyhow we returned over 9 months ago now, doing the whole bit again, selling up and went through the process of setting up again. We got the kids back in school, they are 13 and 10. I worked remotely in Aus for 2 months and got a job locally in UK the day I finished my Aus job. We also sorted out a great albeit expensive rental which we are still in. Everything is falling into place nicely, my wife has got a couple of jobs and has just got another, in her preferred profession, which she starts on Monday. My daughter has passed her 11+ having only 6 months prep. We have attempted to purchase 2 properties so far but that hasn't worked out yet but we are still looking. The thing is I really haven't settled yet and certain aspects that I thought the move back would have fixed I feel haven't come to fruition. I feel pretty much as guilty for these feelings as I did when we moved away in the first place. Personally I would like to return to Oz, we have citizenship and I feel in hindsight that it has taken the move like this to realise what I want but bearing in mind it was me that brought us back I realise it would be putting alot on the family. My wife would love to return but not while the kids are at this point in their schooling and also the kids don't want to return right now. Each time we accomplish something I am both happy ( jobs, school) and sad as I see 'us' becoming more settled. It has taken me several months to even consider buying a house here as I have always retorted that it's in the wrong hemisphere! it would be easy to say well leave it 5 years or so but it's easier said than done, renting in itself is abit unsettling but I never felt like this when I was in the first 6 months in Oz before we bought. I feel the longer we leave it the more chance it won't happen or the more chance it will ultimately split our family and I don't want that. I'm fully aware that there is alot of me me me in this post but it's just how I'm feeling. Thanks for listening. Yours Confused.....
  14.  

    <p> </p>

    <p><p>Hi T thanks for your message. Its taking some adjusting for me though if you were to look at it on paper things have gone really well for us. I found work the day I finished working for my Aus company, my wife is also working now. Our kids are in schools and we have some great friends. I just cant commit to buying a house here as I will feel trapped I think.</p></p>

    <p><p> </p></p>

    <p><p>I feel its a step backwards in a way and I have unfinished business so to speak in Aus, everybody's different I guess, I think I'm more Australian than I thought. <img src="<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png" alt=":)" srcset="<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" width="20" height="20" /></p></p>

    <p> </p>

     

  15. Yes I have. Been back 7 months now and still waiting for the defining moment that tells me it was the right thing to do.
  16. CAvey

    Torn

    Hi fallguy, We've been back 6 months now, kids are in school, we're both working and still renting. I am still waiting for that defining moment where I say that I'm settled and pleased to be back. With hindsight I wouldn't have done it and would really like to return to Oz.
  17. CAvey

    Torn

    Hi, I will try an offer an unbiased opinion based on our experience. We were out in Oz for a similar length of time to you before taking our 1st trip home at the end of 2010. I too suffered terrible guilt and homesickness afterwards which had an effect on how I viewed life in Oz compared to the Uk. I wouldn't rush into any decision about returning based on a single trip home, I would plan for another trip home maybe later in the year if you can afford it, to see if your feelings have changed first of all. Remember making the move will cost plenty if a house sale is involved compared to another trip. Secondly, I wouldn't start researching jobs and houses in the UK until you have made up your mind as otherwise this may also be unsettling, in answer to one of your points, I doubt you will find a house as big as the ones in Oz for the same money. If you are happy with your lifestyle and standard of living in Oz then don't be in a hurry to trade it all in for the move back as there will be unsettling times ahead no matter how smoothly the transition goes, take it from me i've lived it . Finally, don't involve others in your decision making, keep it secret from family and friends if possible until you have come to your final decision. Pm me if you want to talk some more. Good luck with your decision and above all Remain Strong!
  18. It will work for Sky but otherwise you will need a set top box
  19. Hi OzScouser, Your situation is just about identical to ours when we were leaving. We too returned from Oz after 5 years, at the time we had a uBank account in Oz as well as a Westpac account and a Barclays account in the UK. I contacted uBank and informed them we would be leaving and they advised us that the account wouldn't be easily accessible from outside Australia, pretty much what you have already found out. I spoke to Westpac and there was no problem accessing our account online from overseas. My home address on the Westpac account is set to my UK address and I also set up a signature on our account (did this at our local branch)to enable me to initiate the transfer of money by just emailing them a signed letter (scanned) including full transfer details to a contact at the branch. I use MoneyCorp to make my transfers as they offer great rates that banks can't match by far. If you take a look in the Money Transfers Explained section there is more info on this or pm me and I can give you more details. So each time I need money firstly I contact MoneyCorp to lock in a rate and a date of transfer, type up a letter, sign it, scan it, email it to Westpac branch then just wait for the transfer to take place and the money to land in my Barclay's account. It costs $32 a transfer no matter how much. I find this way it's more cost effective as you are taking advantage of the better Aussie interest rate & the favourable exchange rate too. Cheers
  20. Esure accept aussie no claims too
  21. <p><p>Hi T - Sorry I never replied, this is the first time I've been on POI since returning, you know I'm finding it pretty difficult to re-acclimatise TBH but nature is helping! <img src="<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png" alt=":)" srcset="<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Paul</p></p>

  22. <p><p>Thanks for your kind message T.</p></p>

  23. CAvey

    Time's nearly up

    Thanks for all your messages of support :biggrin: you have certainly put my mind more at ease. I have finished work (in this country) for my employer today, we have said goodbye to some friends this evening, and now we're surrounded by boxes ready for the container arriving tomorrow. I have enjoyed my time in Oz but now I'm ready to return to the UK. I know it may not be easy going but I'm ready for it now anyhow. Thanks again
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